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#246 - Jack

Jack in Merton
is 31-40
and is the Maintenance Manager at Wimbledon and Putney Commons.

Jack was born on the Wimbledon Common. His father was the head of the Mounted Keepers at Wimbledon and Putney Commons for years. The Commons run through Jack’s blood. Jack now leads the Maintenance Staff and feels real pride in conserving the Commons.

Questions & Answers

What's your first memory of London?
It was going up to watch the horse guards with my dad in the 70’s

What do you miss when you're away from London?
Apart from the Wimbledon Commons, I miss the diversity. In lots of cities its very much the same of the city, whereas London is a melting pot and you don’t realise you miss it until its gone.

What's your favourite neighbourhood?
Roehampton

What's your favourite building?
The windmill at the Wimbledon Common

What's your ideal day out in London?
A nice stroll visiting iconic London pubs. They are unique in the world.

What's your ideal night out in London?
Oh so...we finished in the pubs..ahah. I am more of a pub man over a club man. So just standing in a summer evening in a beer garden, nothing beats that.

What's your most hated building?
These new, ultra modern residential buildings. There are so many that just stick out like a sore thumb.

What's the best view in London?
Some of the Wimbledon hills have great view points, you can see how green London is.

What's your favourite open space?
Wimbledon Common

What's the most interesting shop?
Harrods

What's your favourite place to hang out?
Rugby clubs

How would you like to spend your ideal day off in London?
Traveling the country watching my brother playing rugby

What's the worst journey you've had to make in London?
Any busy tube journey, it’s my worst nightmare.

What's your personal London landmark?
Anything from the boat: Big Ben, House of Parliament, London Eye.

Who's your favourite fictional Londoner?
Controversially I’d say Jack the Ripper, because whether he’s real or not, he adds a bit of excitement where you still have tours going on to this day.

What's your favourite London film, book or documentary?
Any of those Guy Ritchie films.

If you could travel to any time period in London, past or future, where would you go?
When Charles Dickens was around. There was lots of interesting stuff happening back then. That is when London took off and became the dominant city that we know today.